Tyla is opening up about two uncomfortable encounters she had with Rihanna, and her candid TikTok confession quickly sparked conversation online.
The South African singer recently shared a late-night video recalling the moments she met the Grammy-winning superstar, admitting she left both encounters unsure how to approach her.
“I met her last year, and she was cool,” Tyla said in the clip. “I went up to her. I was like, ‘Oh, hey,’ you know, she was like, ‘Hey, um, um, my baby daddy’s calling me.’ And then she left.” According to Tyla, the exchange caught her off guard and made her second-guess herself afterward.
Tyla on meeting Rihanna at the Met Gala:
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 6, 2026
“She was cool…I think she was occupied. I went up to her and was like, ‘Oh, hey, you know…’ and she was like, ‘Hey, um – my baby daddy is calling me,’ and then she left.” pic.twitter.com/VuF8MjuPG3
“I felt awkward,” she admitted. “I don’t know how to say hi if I feel like someone’s busy.”
The “Water” singer also recalled seeing Rihanna again during Met Gala festivities last week, but decided not to approach her because of their previous interaction. “I don’t wanna go up because I felt like she was busy,” Tyla explained. “And the last time she was busy.”
Rather than forcing another introduction, Tyla said she would rather wait for a more natural moment between them.
Rihanna totally ignored Tyla at the Met Gala pic.twitter.com/9HuB1z14qr
— BlackMedia__ (@BlackMedia___) May 6, 2026
“When we do speak, if we do end up speaking ever, I want us to be like calm so we both can just, you know, vibe and talk nicely,” she said.
